EdAction
Maple River Education Coalition PAC
105 Peavey Rd, St 116 
Chaska, MN  55318 
952-361-4931
http://www.EdAction.org
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March 20, 2001

A VICTORY: What happened to HF 788/SF 1058: Mental Health Screening for All

Bill authors: Greiling/Pappas (for background of this bill, see our updates, 1, 2, and 3.)

After all of your work – calling legislators, visiting with them, writing them – the good news is that HF 788 will not be brought up again in the House Education Committee. It will not come up for a vote. This is a tremendous and hard fought victory. Thank you to all who let yourselves be heard. You made the difference. HF 788 was on its way to passage out of the House Committee. You turned the tide.

The Pioneer Press (March 19) heaped praise on the bill and its Senate author, Senator Julie Sabo, but reported that, "the bill's companion took a beating from critics in a House committee last week, and the chance of passage appeared slim."

We will carefully monitor the end of session omnibus bills that legislators sometimes use to resurrect bills that have lost along the way. It has been very important for legislators to hear from you so they can more faithfully resist any attempt to slip in HF 788 in the late hours of the legislative session.

As the Pioneer Press stated, "So Sabo adjusted to political reality and is shaping her bill to request an interim study on the issue, which she hopes could lead to a comprehensive plan." Their end game remains the same. The well known adage, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," remains as true today as it ever was.

EdAction - 105 Peavey Rd, Ste 116, Chaska, MN  55318 
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